Forces Kill, Detain Insurgents in Kandahar

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2010 - An Afghan and International Security Assistance Force patrol killed three suspected insurgents and detained several more in southern Afghanistan yesterday, military officials reported.

The force was conducting a route-clearing operation in Kandahar province when they spotted a group of military-aged men carrying weapons. A team was sent to the area to investigate the activity.

As the combined patrol entered the target area, they attempted to detain two armed insurgents. The insurgents tried to engage the troops and were killed. The patrol then moved to clear a number of tents in the area and detained a suspected insurgent who was found hiding. As the patrol continued past the tent area, the patrol killed another suspected insurgent who engaged them with small-arms fire.

Continuing their patrol, the combined force spotted a suspected insurgent trying to hide on a hill. As the force attempted to question him, he ran away. The force gave chase and killed him when he pulled a pistol from his shirt. As they continued to clear the area, the patrol found another armed man hiding. He attempted to engage the patrol and was killed.

In subsequent questioning, an Afghan woman indicated that the suspected insurgents had demanded food and drink and threatened her family. Three men were detained for further questioning.

In other news from Afghanistan:

-- Afghan and coalition forces killed the Taliban shadow governor and a senior Taliban leader in Badghis province yesterday. A campaign to disrupt Taliban operations in Badghis and in neighboring Faryab province has resulted in five Taliban senior leaders killed, including the shadow governors for both provinces, and another captured, during several operations over the last 10 days, officials said. The shadow governor had operational control over Taliban fighters and suicide bombers and directed attacks on coalition forces. The security force tracked three insurgents armed with assault rifles traveling through a remote area of the Murghab district. As the security force approached, the insurgents threatened them, and the assault force shot and killed them. The third insurgent was detained unharmed. The security force continued clearing in the area and killed three additional armed insurgents who threatened them, including the shadow governor and the Taliban leader.

-- Coalition forces conducted a precision airstrike and follow-on operation in Takhar province yesterday, killing the Taliban leader for the province's Yangi Qalah district along with seven of his associates. The district leader was directly responsible for organizing and holding kidnapped Afghan security forces members and conducting bombing and ambush operations in the northern part of the province. He is linked to the recent deaths of at least 10 Afghan police officers during an attack on a police station in Kunduz province. The security force tracked the targeted individual among a group of insurgents to a remote area of the neighboring Darquad district. After verifying insurgent activity and ensuring no civilians were present, coalition forces conducted a precision air strike on the group. A follow-on Afghan and coalition ground force found three insurgents hiding in a nearby wood line and killed them after they threatened the security force. The security force also confirmed five insurgents killed in the strike and found multiple automatic weapons and grenades at the scene. Initial reporting indicates no civilians were killed during the operation, officials said.

-- Coalition forces conducted precision strikes on known homemade explosives factories and followed with a combined clearing operation aimed at disrupting the Taliban's freedom of movement in Kandahar province yesterday. The Afghan-coalition force targeted several compounds in the Arghandab district and conducted precision strikes on known enemy explosives factories before the ground force entered the area. The security force detained two suspected insurgents. During the clearance, the force found that one of the compounds was booby-trapped to explode. After the ground force departed, coalition forces conducted a precision air strike, destroying the compound and explosives, ensuring it could not harm any civilians, officials said.

Officials added that Afghan and coalition forces protect any women and children present during their operations.